


Solace

by Willdoesntgostraight



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Nightmares, Short, gods this is really short, made this for a friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:59:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7857310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willdoesntgostraight/pseuds/Willdoesntgostraight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'd spoil it if I said anything tbh</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solace

**Author's Note:**

> This is for a friend of mine, because she's amazing and deserves the best :) <3

After a long day of running around, chasing monsters, running from monsters, fighting, getting injured and seeing and _feeling_ people around you dying, it's not much fun to finally go to sleep and have _nightmares_.

 

Nico finds himself in the forest attached to Camp Half Blood, looking around with a puzzled frown on his forehead. He wonders how he even got here in the first place, when the only thing he remembers seeing last is the infirmary. And Will.

 

Damn boy is stuck in his head again, even in situations where he's suddenly in a dark, menacing forest. As to prove his point, the trees seem to lean down on him, murmuring. He can't indicate what any of them are saying, which Nico might be slightly grateful for.

 

He's is going crazy, Nico establishes right here and now.

 

What does feel weird though, despite everything that's already weird as Hades's ludicrous love for puppies, is how _unreal_ his surroundings seem. Not the fantasy kind of unreal, but more like that eerie feeling a monster is under your bed, even though there isn't (for most mortals at least). And it's strange, peculiar almost.

 

Nico shakes his head, dubious, and takes a step forward. Well, he tries. When his foot moves, however, it's stuck to some mud, which swallowed up his entire feet. He attempts pulling away, to no avail.

 

By his second attempt to move forward, the voices grow louder and Nico is finally able to hear them. Though he'd rather not. His body shivers and his head aches as the trees whisper all sorts of things from " _go away_ ", " _you don't belong here_ " to " _you're useless, no one needs you_ " and " _you're better off dead_ ".

 

Nico tries his best to shut them out whilst continue struggling to break free from the devouring mud. It doesn't really help when the trees start to talk louder, louder, louder until they're basically screaming in his ears, which Nico covers with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut and trying not to faint because it's very painful and soon enough he'll end up--

 

"Nico!"

 

Nico eyes shoot open at the speed of light (which doesn't soothe his headache). His heart is racing and he's pretty certain he's sweating too.

 

When all he sees is a peaceful, quiet infirmary, his breathing the loudest sound he's able to hear, he glances toward the warm touch on his arm. A hand. Tan and a strong grip. Nico meets its owner's eyes, blue like the sea with the sun's full attention, and concerned. Nico swallows when Will offers him a small smile.

 

"Are you alright?" Will asks, and Nico wants to lie and say yes, but it's the fifth crazy nightmare in a row and he's so, so sick of it. So he concedes to his pathetic despair and shakes his head. He manages only the slightest of movements, yet Will comprehends and nods, staying silent.

 

Normally, Nico would appreciate silence more than anything, especially after such a disturbing, _deafening_ dream, but Nico feels frustration bubble inside him. Will still hasn't removed his hand either. Nico doesn't want him to or he'll feel even more alone and forsaken for some odd reason.

 

So after a minute of sympathetic silence, Nico feels his hands shaking more vehemently. Will seems to notice, because Will always notices, and takes Nico's hand with both of his instead. He squeezes lightly, while Nico's free hand is gripping the sheets way too tightly.

 

"Say something," he chokes, surprisingly managing for his voice not to crack.

 

Ten seconds of hesitation pass before Will speaks (he counted out of sheer neevousness), "Well, my half-brother Austin created this really awesome song and I think someone even cried. And Paolo cursed something in Portuguese while waving his flag."

 

Will rambles on for much longer, but Nico isn't paying much attention anymore, not enough to understand what he's saying that is. Will's voice is enough to calm him down, his headache subsiding. And the fact Will's playing with his hand grabs his attention more than anything.

 

After a while, when Nico's fingers have been delicately wiggled around by Will, he listens more closely again.

 

"-but that's just what I heard. I didn't exactly see any of it, seeing as I was here the entire day. But some campers came to visit their injured friends so I heard a lot. I mean not that I was eavesdropping!" Will laughs sheepishly, and Nico feels his cheeks heat up. Though he doubts there's anything else but pure white skin to see. He even feels like a ghost. _No pun intended_.

 

"What?" Nico asks, surprised. Did he stay here in the infirmary, or here next to Nico? Because he sure made it sound like the latter. He swallows the thoughts down quickly. "And you give yourself the right to tell me to get some sunlight?"

 

Will grins. Quite the opposite of Nico expected, but oh well. "I just happen to needed here. You're just inside for solitude," Will accuses.

 

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Nico pouts and for some reason Will's grin only grows wider.

 

"No you don't, but everyone else does. _Ghost King_." Nico rolls his eyes at the tease, but a smile creeps its way onto his face.

 

Disgusted, Nico glances down at their hands. Wrong choice. Will's still holding his and when Nico glances up at the former, he notices he's _blushing_ (very lightly though, which is really, really pretty on Will's tanned cheeks) and Nico's stomach is doing that thing. It's annoyingly pleasant too.

 

Will is about to let go, Nico realizes too late as cold seeps into his fingers, the warmth entirely gone now. Nico doesn't hesitate when he grabs Will's hands to keep them connected.

 

Also, he doesn't face the other boy, who lets go of a soft breath as he lets Nico take his hands.

 

"It's cold," Nico says matter-of-factly, stubbornly glaring at their hands. "Your hands are warm."

 

"Ah," Will breathes. Then, as if someone turned a switch, Will perks up, daze gone. He stands from the chair next to the bed and locks eyes with Nico, grinning. Again. It's suits him so well, kinda cute with his cheeks all- Nico wants to punch himself.

 

"Let's go outside then, judging that we both need it," Will suggests and Nico nods. He's pulled to his knees he's happy, _satisfied_ even, when Will enlaces their fingers and leads him outside.

 

Some glances from other campers make him a little nervous, and remind him of his dream, but he ignores it, for once. For once he ignores it all and watches Will's eyes _glint_ in the sunset's light; the tender, tender tint on his cheeks; the grin and white teeth; the sincere bliss. Perhaps because he's allowed to hold Nico's hand, or because he can finally go outside, or because he's hit by a truck and can't think straight. But Nico finds himself liking it as they strode off to the lake, hands held and spirits lifted.

 

Perhaps there are still things close to _home_ to fight for.

 

Will looks down, meeting his eyes. Nico smiles back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


End file.
